Smurf
Gold Meritorious SP
Here's the other thing to consider. In every jurisdiction I've been in, the judge has to approve the settlement agreements. I don't know if they give em much more than a cursory look see, but I also doubt that either party walked away with absolutely nothing. Jus sayin.
Judges, for the most case, simply sign off on civil settlements, unless they are one involving millions of dollars, and the parties are corporations.
http://www.courts.state.ny.us/courts/nyc/civil/stipulationsandsettlements.shtml